"We Have Autism"

I saw the hour-long special "We Have Autism" on CNN this afternoon.  Some of it brought tears to my eyes.

Not about the kids, though.  Seeing little ones who were working with their sensory integration while painting their hands to seeing an adult who had found expression -- poetic expression -- through a keypad and pencil and paper because he couldn't speak.... Well, that was just cool.  Wonderful.  Beautiful.

No, what saddened me was the way that all but one of the parents confessed to a horrible, shell-shocked, brick-in-the-face feeling when they heard their child's diagnosis.  One mother, in China, shared how she thought (though it horrifies her, now) of killing her child and committing suicide, because she couldn't bear the thought of the "terrible life" her child would lead.  That brought me to tears.  Other parents shared their initial hopelessness, the fears, the utter ignorance about what to do to 'fix' the problem.

Thing is, of course, one doesn't "fix" anyone who has Autistic Spectrum Disorder.  One just sees the current limits and teaches the autistic person how to see beyond and around them. Or even, just to want to see.  As I've described it before, in my mind, a person with autism has some bridges out in their brain. We can't put those bridges back.  All we can do is show them where the stones are, show them as well as we can and then help them to understand what's on the other side.  And when they're ready, we help them cross.

Please, if you or someone you know is new to this life of being "the family with autism" -- please know that it is not a bad thing to be so "labeled."  Doors will open (with some tugging) and help can be found for someone with ASD.  Truly, it is helpful to know what's out there and where help can be found -- even if it means reading books and becoming your child's personal therapist.

The financial burdens can be rough (for an example, a simple cavity at the dentist means a trip to the hospital, general anesthesia, medical attendants, surgical prep and so forth, which adds up!) beyond the costs of speech or physical or occupational therapies. But there is hope out there, and assorted grants and other options open to families who are living with autism.

CNN will be repeating this show sometime tomorrow, I believe.  Record it or TiVo it or whatever it is you do, and share it with folks who could benefit from seeing it.